Sustainable growth and water cycle studies Andy McConkey, principal consultant, Halcrow Paul Hickey, growth and equivalence manager, Anglian Water Gerard Stewart, sustainable development policy officer, Environment Agency

What is a water cycle study? A water cycle study is a partnership project to integrate urban regeneration and development with water environment constraints, and water services infrastructure planning to help achieve more sustainable urban development “A co-ordinated approach to plan making should be developed through a programme of water cycle studies… to address the issues of water supply, water quality, wastewater treatment and flood risk in receiving water courses relating to development proposed in this RSS.”

What is a water cycle study? A water cycle study is a partnership project to ensure: Houses are built in the most sustainable location with respect to the water environment Development makes best use of existing infrastructure, and new infrastructure is planned strategically “Complementing this approach, Local Development Documents should plan to site new development so as to maximise the potential of existing infrastructure and minimise the need for new/improved infrastructure.”

What is a water cycle study? A water cycle study is a partnership project to ensure: Houses are built in the most sustainable location with respect to the water environment Development makes best use of existing infrastructure, and new infrastructure is planned strategically Urban development and growth is within environmental capacity “Discharge limits will become more restrictive under the European Water Framework Directive…The Directive requires ‘no deterioration’ from current water status and local authorities will need to take this into account in their water cycle strategies.”

What is a water cycle study? A water cycle study is a partnership project to ensure: Houses are built in the most sustainable location with respect to the water environment Urban development and growth is within environmental capacity Development makes best use of existing infrastructure, and new infrastructure is planned strategically All water cycle stakeholders to have their say, preventing any last minute objections The evidence needed by the planning process to agree development plans is available in the appropriate level of detail when it is needed “The Environment Agency and water industry should work with local authorities and other partners to develop an integrated approach to the management of the water environment.”

The output is a plan or strategy that provides the evidence base to support spatial planning decisions: –What development policies need to be in place Code for sustainable homes water targets Evidence for design standards, building codes Provide support/evidence for other policies eg. green infrastructure Policies to support water companies Dependence on national policy or legislation change? –What water cycle infrastructure is needed to support development –Who is responsible for funding, planning, delivering, operating and maintaining the infrastructure Water cycle study outputs Sustainable building design guidance

Constraints analysisInfrastructure strategy Policy strategies

Why do I need a WCS..inconvenience …and how can we avoid this? …whose responsibility is this? …who should deal with this? …but what about this?... …whose fault is this? … 3 million new homes by 2020/21

Why do I need a WCS …3 million new homes by % reduction in carbon emissions by 2050 Tighter water quality standards being drive by Water Framework Directive

Emerging policy

How do I carry out a WCS  Authored by Halcrow for Environment Agency in partnership with Anglian Water, Government Office East of England  Found on EA website - Planning and research - Planning resources Aimed at local planning authorities - WCS mandatory for new growth points -Required by RSS policy in East of England -Best practice elsewhere

How do I carry out a WCS  CONTENTS - What is a water cycle study? - Water and planning policy background - How do I carry out a water cycle study? - Case studies and examples - Frequently asked questions

The stages of a WCS

Links to other plans A water cycle study is a framework for bringing together other plans and strategies The guidance provides advice on what other plans and policies to draw on. Eg. Development planning certainty decreases over time and can be unpredictable. A WCS partnership allows relevant stakeholders to be using the most appropriate information

Evolving process Early WCS (eg. Corby WCS) –development areas clearly defined –identify environmental constraints –Identify infrastructure required to overcome constraints –strategy to agree funding, responsibility, delivery Next wave of WCS (eg Cambridge WCS) –Influencing development location –Spearheading sustainability agenda –Develop planning policies to implement more sustainable development –Balance between demand management and infrastructure provision –Sustainability assessment or multi-criteria analysis to identify preferred solution

Basingstoke WCS Sustainability, water quality and ecology (WFD) Bedford WCS Integration of surface water management into WCS Impact of climate change Borden & Whitehill ecotown WCS Sustainable development Aspirational demand management Swindon WCS Detailed water quality modelling and STW assessment WCS focus WCS guidance is not prescriptive WCS scope set to local requirements, based on needs of water cycle

Conclusion Integrated, multidisciplinary teams Policy and process still evolving; guidance is living draft Challenges we face require all stakeholders to move beyond comfort zone, and be aspirational But we need to be ensure plans are deliverable

Thank you for listening Any questions?